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Sweden supporting farmers in Africa's Sahel region

Farmers and herders in the Sahel Region of Africa will receive support on behalf of Sweden, said the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The Swedish International Development Cooperation (SIDA) is to allocate US$9.9mn in response to an appeal from the UN last month. The Sahel is a semi-arid region, forming a transitional zone between the Sahara to the north and the savannas to the south. Millions of people in the region are expected to be hit by acute hunger and malnutrition hurt by drought, armed conflict and high food prices, according to the UN. Burkina Faso and Mali are hit the hardest among the six countries in the Sahel region. Between May and August, SIDA will help farmers in Burkina Faso with cash transfers reaching more than 60,000 people. Additionally, 24,000 people will get cash transfers in exchange for work. In Mali, 24,000 people will receive aid, the FAO said. "This contribution will bring livelihood support to families when they need it most. This is the time families' granaries are emptying fast and herders are in desperate search for fodder," said Dominique Burgeon, FAO's director of emergencies and resilience strategic programme leader. "What sets this contribution apart is that it will enable us to support vulnerable communities over the next two years so that they can get back on their feet and build their capacities to cope better with future shocks. FAO also welcomes Sweden's larger support to communities in the Sahel region in this time of rising needs," Burgeon, added.